


from the sun, to the moon.

by reversemagician (himaAlaya)



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: M/M, Original Character(s), Tumblr: FFXIVwrite2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 4,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26719633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/himaAlaya/pseuds/reversemagician
Summary: This could be it, this could be where his life ended and he would have lived it with a single regret.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. crux

**Author's Note:**

> this one goes out to all 5 of you who voted on my poll.

The rubble crashes down, large rocks scattering across the Steps of Faith. Orion slams the blade of his lance down into the cobblestones, pulling himself back to his feet. He grabs Rigel’s arm, hoisting him up to his feet. 

Nidhogg roars, the sound piercing the cold chill. Just like he remembered, fire and brimstone rains ash upon his home. 

This could be it, this could be where his life ended and he would have lived it with a single regret. 

“Rigel!” He has to shout it over the noise, over the clamouring of the temple knights and his own unit. Rigel whips his head around, staring at Orion. “Rigel, if we live through this, will you marry me?”

“Is now really the time?!” Rigel shouts back, and a few heads turn towards them.

“Now is the only time! Yes or no Rigel!” 

“Yes, I will! Just survive this first.” The hyur pats the Elezen’s cheek, giving him a quick kiss. “If you don’t I’ll never forgive you.” He squeezes Orion’s arm, the armor cold in his grip. He runs off, headed towards a distant shout for help. Rigel looks back towards him, a moment of longing before the world crumbles beneath them again.


	2. sway

Orion holds out his hand, and Rigel takes it. They come together, fitting together perfectly. The only night in Ishgard that had no clouds, dancing together underneath the endless sky. Rigel rests his head against Orion’s chest, hair obscured by his mother’s veil. 

The sound of the wedding party continues inside, all of Ishgard celebrating the happy couple. They sway together to the distant sound of music. Orion holds the hyur closer, threading his hair through Rigel’s hair beneath the veil. 

He wasn’t sure how he got there, in the moment he had been dreaming of ever since he returned home, through all the hardships and arguments, they had made it through it. They had done it together. 

Rigel looks up, Orion framed by stars.

At least, their war is over. 


	3. muster

Orion grabs at Rigel’s coat, the wool warm in his hands. The scholasticate always had such warm coats, or maybe it was just they hyur’s hands holding his own that made him feel warmer. Orion had waited outside for Rigel as usual, having been set free from his task of watching his sister once his mother had come home a little earlier than usual. 

The elezen looks away from his friend, looking up and down the alley that they had tucked themselves into. He had been telling himself for days that he was going to do this, to muster up the courage and express how he felt. He had tried before, falling flat when Rigel had offered him a warm cheese tart from a nearby vendor. 

Not today, today was the day. Today had to be the day or Orion would never say another word about it. 

He pulls Rigel down, and the hyur leans in towards him after turning back. Orion had barely noticed he was looking down the alley as well. Orion kisses him shyly, and he pulls away. “Rigel I...I-” Rigel holds him close, wrapping his arms around the elezen.

Rigel kisses back, just as shy, just as chaste. “I love you.” Orion manages to get out, letting go of Rigel’s jacket and covering his face. He looks away, face turning red as his ears droop in embarrassment. “I think maybe, I always have.” 


	4. clinch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> they're lesbians, harold.

“Don’t move-” Orion reaches out, and Rigel stumbles backwards into the stone golem. Enkelados turns slowly, fixating on the hyur. It reaches out, stone fingers coming dangerously close to her face. Rigel turns her head away, frozen in place.

Orion grabs her just as Enkelados takes hold of Rigel’s ponytail, dragging her in closer. The knight yanks harder, almost pulling her away from Orion. The elezen panics, her brain shutting down for just a moment.

The obstacle was the hair. Get rid of the hair, get rid of the problem. Right?

She pulls the knife from her boot, desperately cutting Rigel’s hair in one sweeping motion. The knight stumbles backwards, and Orion takes the chance to run. She takes the hyur into her arms, running towards the nearest bush to take cover. She tries to catch her breath, holding Rigel close to her chest.

“M…” Rigel begins to stammer, shaking. “My hair…” 

Oh. Oh no.

“It’s….I.” Orion panics, the adrenaline crashing and the reality setting in. “I only. It was for your safety-” The hyur begins to tear up, sniffling quietly. Orion falters, unsure of what to do. She hesitates, and runs her fingers through Rigel’s hair, freeing the loose bits and tossing them aside. She can’t find any words, instead just pulling Rigel in closer.

She would probably not live this down, not for a while. 


	5. matter of fact

“I thought you were a dragoon.” Rigel looks Orion up and down, picking up the tail of the elezen’s jacket. “Since when did you learn to be a machinist?” 

“Well, sometimes, you would just rather shoot something and ask questions later.”

“You….are not wrong.” 

Orion hefts the revolver up, shifting his weight. “Thordan would have been dealt with much faster if we had one of these.” 

Rigel drops the coat, and crosses his arms. He stays silent for a moment, looking at the ground and back up at his husband. “Maybe if it were Aymeric’s.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heavensward speed run


	6. nonagenarian

Orion reaches his hand up, brushing Rigel’s hair from his face. He lets his arm fall onto the pillow, and Rigel turns towards him. Orion can feel warmth welling up inside of him. Every night is the same, and to some people it might seem monotonous, but to him it was what he’d always wanted. 

The hyur sits up, and leans over to give his husband a kiss. Orion smiles, and props himself up to kiss him back before falling back into the pillows. 

“Hey, Rigel.”

“Hmm?”

“Will you still love me, when I’m old. When I’m not young and handsome anymore?” 

Rigel smacks his chest. “You know I’ll lose all my hair and become wrinkly like a horrible old raisin long before that ever happens.” 

“Well, then I’ll just be the prune to your raisin.” A pillow hits him, landing with more force than he had expected. It knocks the wind out of him, but Orion laughs. 


	7. clamour

“So, Eliane, how is your wife these days?” 

Orion’s ears perk up, and he straightens up, trying to see over the crowd of people in the firmament. Eliane looks over Rigel’s shoulder, and crosses her arms. The hyur turns around, watching as his husband stares in disbelief.

“Her  _ WHAT? _ ”

“I see his hearing is as good as ever.”

Rigel brushes him off, turning back to their conversation. “Just ignore him, it’s fine. So how is your wife?”

Orion pushes past the crowd and comes to stand next to Rigel. “How does the woman with the fury of a thousand tea kettles, forged in fire, have a wife?” 

Eliane gives him a withering look, and he steps behind Rigel, thinking the hyur might protect him from her gaze. “You’re being rude, Orion.” 

“I-” Someone pats his back, a gentle touch. A pat of ‘there there, it’s ok’. He turns around, and the woman walks away towards Lizbeth, waving to the group.

“If you must know, that was her just now. She’s doing well.”


	8. lush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> why is it heatwaves, diadem?!

“They told me you’d be out here.” Rigel leans over Orion, catching the elezen dozing off in the afternoon sun.

“Who told you?”

“Muir and Lilly.”

“That’s….awfully specific of them.” 

Rigel sits down next to him in the shade, and Orion leans against the trunk of the tree. He pulls at his already loose shirt trying to fan himself even just a bit. The heat wave in diadem never seeming to let up, it just made everything worse.

“They sent me with this for you.” Rigel hands Orion a drink, cool to the touch and ice unmelted. “I think it might be a cordial? Of some kind?” 

Orion takes it, and jabs the straw he was offered into it as well. He takes a drink, and sinks back into his spot.

“Whatever it is, I could use at least 2 more.” 


	9. avail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fc snake pit coming along just fine

Orion holds the chest closed, his back against it. The faint hissing is persistent, and Imogen watches him struggle. “I don’t think one of those snakes was entirely dead.” 

Rigel turns from the retainer bell to look at them. “What do you mean by that?” 

“Well I mean. The aethero….aet...ro….” He slumps against the chest, bringing his arm to his chest. “Y’know.” He tries to gesture, feeling sluggish. “I think it bit me.” 

“Those are venomous, how could you not know if it bit you-” There’s a thud just before Rigel finishes his sentence, Orion sliding down to the floor, eyes closed. “Orion!”

Imogen leans over, hoisting the elezen up. It looked awkward, Orion’s unconscious body half leaning against the xaela. “Get an antidote. Don’t wake up the snakes.” She takes off, dragging the elezen up the stairs and into the bedrooms. “He’ll be fine, they’re not that poisonous.” She calls from upstairs, followed by a soft thunk as she drops Orion into a bed.


	10. ultracrepidarian

Orion slides his feet into his boots, different from his usual ones. It had been difficult enough to get dressed some days, but his trademark boots were certainly a hassle.

“You might want to wear your thighboots.” Rigel comments, packing the last of his belongings into his bag.

“Yeah, thanks for the advice. It’s not exactly easy to put them on these days.” 

“Did you want me to help, then?”

Orion considers it, it would be better if they were traveling outside the steppe towards places unknown. He hesitates, and then kicks off shoes. “Please. If you don’t mind.” 

Rigel gestures for Orion to stand, and the elezen does. It’s a bit of a shuffle, the elezen trying not to fall over as the hyur helps him. Rigel pulls the boot up, smoothing it over his thigh before tightening the top strap. He pats the elezen’s leg when all is said and done, both boots on without much difficulty.

“See, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” 


	11. tooth and nail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> still wild that nier is canon in xiv.

“Is that...me?” Orion steps closer, and the android takes a step back. There was little to no difference, only the height, and maybe the clothes. Orion pokes at his chest, hitting hard muscle. He gets in closer, grabbing the android’s face. He pulls back the other’s mouth, revealing fangs just like his own.

The android smacks him away, hitting harder than Orion anticipated. “I’m not you. I’m Yorha No.2 Type O.” 

“You’re Yorha?”

The android gestures towards his clothing, and the blindfold. “No shit. My partner calls me Orion.” 

Orion gapes, mouth closing when he finally realizes he’s being rude. “Orion.” They both turn around, looking down at another android. The resemblance to Rigel was uncanny. Sleek and well dressed. “No, that Orion.” He points at the taller android. “We have to go. Intel says the intruder units are incoming.”

“Fine, fine. Let’s go.” He gestures towards the smaller android. “Yorha No.9 Type R. Rigel, in case you meet us again, don’t pull my face again alright.”


	12. part

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> still loosely nier related

Orion reaches out, snatching Rigel before he falls towards the bottom of the ravine. With the bunker gone, there was no way to get him back this time. Everything was corrupted, the operator leaving a final farewell, a thank you for the flowers they had collected. 

“Don’t let go.”

He pulls Rigel up from the cliff, the two of them sprawling out onto the rocks. Orion sits up, taking Rigel’s face into his hands. He inspects him, making Rigel look this way and that as Orion frantically checks for damage. He breathes a sigh of relief, taking Rigel into his arms and burying his face in Rigel’s jacket.

Rigel brings his arms up, gently wrapping them around Orion’s shoulders. He pats his hair, resting against his head. “Just a bit sore, that’s all.”


	13. ache

Orion tosses and turns, unable to get any sleep. He lies in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He aches, a deep ache far beyond his bones and deep into his heart. He holds his hands up and stares at the scars on the back of his hands. Training, accidents, primals, you name it. 

Rigel sleeps soundly, sitting up in the chair next to his bed. This always happened, he was the one stuck in a bed after some life threatening injury. 

He pushes Rigel’s hair from his face, tucking it behind his ear. “I’m sorry, Rigel.” 

Rigel takes his hand, half awake. He squeezes Orion’s hand gently. “Sorry for what?” He lifts his head, squinting into the darkness. “Don’t be sorry, Orion.” Rigel stands up, leaning over the bed and pressing a kiss to his face. He smooths the elezen’s hair, and crawls into the bed with him. 

Orion leans into him, the familiar warmth a comfort. He winds their fingers together, squeezing his hand in return. 


	14. lucubration

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this word cant possibly be real, but it is.

“Here, this is for you.” Orion pulls Rigel in closer, wrapping an arm around him and tucking his hair behind his ear. He holds a hibiscus in his hand, tucking it gently behind the hyur’s ear.

“I read that giving this to someone means they have a delicate beauty.” 

“W...where did you learn that!”

“In a book that you left open on the table.” He smiles lopsidedly. “It’s appropriate, don’t you think?” 

Rigel blushes, grabbing Orion’s shirt and burying his face into it. “Maybe.”

“I think I’m right.” 


	15. fade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 5.3 spoilers, and speculations.

“We can’t just stay here, it’s dangerous!” Rigel can hear Orion’s voice, it sounds farther than it should be despite him being right there. He hears the other two try to argue with him, that it’s best to just stay here for a few minutes. The star shower has yet to stop, falling from the sky. It gives him a headache to even look at through partially closed eyes. He wants to reach out, to reassure Orion that he’s ok. There’s no energy left for him to even try. 

It’s strangely familiar, this whole scene.

-

“Linos no-” Orpheus grabs at his robes, trying in vain to lift him from the fabric. Amaurot burns behind them, blind to the life that’s being destroyed. “We have to go, we have to find Clymenus like we were told.” 

There’s a loud crack, like lightning striking. “Hurry up, I can’t do this forever.” Hecate holds back as much as she can, a speck on the fiery horizon. “Orpheus just pick him up!” 

The wanderer hoists the fury up, and Linos tucks his head into the crook of Orpheus’ neck. “It must be such rotten work, taking care of me.”

“Never, not to me. Not if it’s you.” 

“Sentiments later, finding Clymenus now!” Hecate grabs Orpheus, dragging him off into the depths of the crumbling city. 


	16. panglossian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> shards of boys on the first, what will they do.

Orion runs up the stairs, tripping on the loose wooden step. He sticks his head out of the hole in the ceiling, looking at Rigel sitting on the roof. “Rigel! Rigel guess what!” 

Rigel jolts, turning towards Orion startled. “Don’t scare me like that!” The hume holds his hand out, and Orion takes it, pulling himself onto the roof. He’s wearing his dancer’s attire, something that was usually reserved for special performances, or just for him. “What is it?”

“I’m going to Eulmore! I’ll be a bonded citizen!” He throws his hands in the air excitedly, and Rigel stares at him.

“Why would you want that?”

“What?” The elf falters, his arms falling to his side. “What do you mean why?”

“You’ve heard the stories, why would you want to be a bonded citizen.” 

Orion wilts under his gaze. “I just…”

“You just?”

“I just wanted to make things better!” He shouts, his voice echoing through the empty town. “I wanted to make you happy, I wanted us not to starve! I wanted to take care o-of you...of my family.” The elf turns away, all of his jewelry chiming as he moved. 

“It’s a bad idea Orion, you should just stay here. We have enough.” He hesitates, wanting to say more, wanting to add ‘we have each other’. 

“Rigel we’re starving! We live in a shack!” Orion whips back around. “I can make this better! Please, just, trust me.” 

Rigel shuts his mouth, looking away. There are so many things that he wants to say, all of them much better than what he’s already said. “Fine. Just….Just go, Orion. Just leave.”

“Oh.” There’s silence, and Orion looks at the rickety ladder back down. “I. If that’s what you want.” He leaves Rigel on the roof, and the hume feels like he can’t breathe. 

“Wait-” 

Orion is gone, and Rigel is left alone.


	17. where the heart is

Rigel puts his hand on Orion’s chest, smoothing his hand over the bare skin. This, this was where home was. Home was the two of them together. And it always had been.

Orion places his hand over Rigel’s, tangling their fingers together.

“Something on your mind?” 

The hyur lies down, his head resting on the elezen’s chest. Orion smooths his husband’s hair down, draping his other arm over Rigel. “I love you.”

“I love you more.”


	18. foibles

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also convinced this isn't a real word either

Orion flips his pencil between his fingers, staring at his journal. He couldn’t stop thinking about it, a distant dream that he’d had. One that almost felt real. It was tangible, the emotion that he had woken up to. Loss, loneliness, something empty. An anxiety he couldn’t quite explain.

An outstretched hand, reaching for someone in front of him.

He drops his pencil, putting his face in his hands. His sketch remains just that, a sketch, a vague memory. It looked like Rigel, but there were things that didn’t quite match up. A name, just on the tip of his tongue.

He closes his sketchbook, and his pencil skitters across his desk with the force of it. If there were answers, he might never find them. 


	19. argy-bargy

Juice jumps up onto the bed, right onto Orion’s stomach.

The ritual must begin.

He begins to meow, closer to a yell. Excitedly, he begins to knead at his humaine’s stomach, announcing his arrival. Lady always told him it was imperative to keep their secret, and so, Juice decidedly carried on as usual.

He continues to yell, and Orion waves his hand, trying to find him. Like a game of hitting snooze, but with him as the alarm. Orion tries in vain, Juice walks around on him, parading on his humaine. Maybe he should try small humaine.

Small humaine was more aggressive, bad idea.

Orion succeeds, finally patting Juice. Juice ceases his noise, beginning to purr loudly instead. 

“Yes, yes, I love you too.” 

Juice love….Humaine! 


	20. shuffle

Orion flips through a book in the cabinet of curiosities, one of the many books that he had been sent to find by Rigel. With the two of them, they’d cover more ground. Or so he had said anyways. He looks up from the tome, the words entirely lost on him. He looks towards his husband, completely absorbed in what he was holding. It made him miss home, the library occupied only by their cats in that moment. He turns back to the shelf, picking out another book on the list. Something about the properties of the soul that Beq Lugg had specifically requested.

He opens it, knowing full well he wouldn’t understand a word of it. Why couldn’t their research be fiction for once? At least that would be interesting. He flips through the pages, diagrams upon diagrams, discussion of residual aether and calamities. He stops turning pages, suddenly absorbed in the text.

Souls divided, and residual memories.

The elezen looks up again, staring at Rigel, something aching deep inside. He didn’t understand this feeling, the deep longing, the yearning to hold his hand even now, it was different. Different from the things he always felt towards his husband. Somehow, it felt sadder, like they had been apart longer than just a year in the First’s time. Years, upon years, upon years, endlessly spanning in front of him, but he could just as easily reach out and brush his fingers through the hyur’s hair. 

Rigel looks up from his own book, and smiles at Orion. Orion smiles back, maybe the feeling was best left undiscovered, lost to the shuffle of time, just for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's about THE YEARNING.


	21. beam

Rigel reaches out, putting his hand on Orion’s head. He’d had enough of watching his husband huff and rolls his face into the table. “Stop it, you’re reminding me far too much of Alisaie.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“It might be, especially now.”

Orion sits up properly, sinking into his chair. Rigel puts his book down, and takes his tea. The scene was strikingly familiar, almost word for word happening at the table next to them. Lilly places a cup in front of him, and pats his messy hair. “She has to take after someone, right? Better you than, say, Urianger.” They both turn to look at the elezen in question, admiring himself and his cards. It was ridiculous to watch, even stranger that they’d actually managed to get him out of that popoto sack he called clothes on the source.

They hear Alisaie groan from the other table, sitting up and mimicking Orion, sinking into her chair.

“Oh no.” He whispers softly. “Oh no she is taking after me.”

“You’re a veritable ray of sunshine, Orion. Lilly’s right, it could be worse.”

Lilly’s ears perk up. “Can I get that on record?”

“Absolutely not.”


	22. wish

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> first boys back at it again

“Rigel look at this!” Orion fumbles with all the books in his arms, the young elf carrying more than he can handle. “Look at all of this! All of these are stories of dancers.” Rigel takes half the stack from him, and puts it onto the table. “There are so many of them! So many of them have my name as well.” 

Orion all but shoves the book into his face, pointing at a large family tree with the familiar last name. “I knew that this was passed down through my family, but I never realized how far it went back.” He sets the book down, picking another one up excitedly. “Moren gave these to me to look at.”

“How does he expect you to read all those?” Rigel stares at the stack, neatly split into two piles on the table. 

“That’s not even all of them, it was just what I could carry down the stairs.” 

“There’s  _ more? _ ” 

“I know! There’s more! That’s amazing, isn’t it?” Orion takes a seat in the nearest chair, falling into it. Rigel sits next to him, pushing Orion over and sitting in the same chair. “There’s another one, just over there-”

“Don’t want that.” Rigel leans on him, turning to the beginning of the large tome. “This is much better, if you ask me.”

Orion blushes, and he looks away. “If you insist.” 

“Tell me why we’re doing so much research again?” 

“Because!” Orion says it a little louder than he intended, and he settles down. “Because it’s my wish to bring the tradition back to Kholusia.” 


	23. when pigs fly

“What’s the secret to your bread, Mrs. Pinoix?” Rigel sits next to Orion, the elezen slouched over the table eating breakfast.

“Oh, please, Just Carmellia.” Carmellia corrects him again, as she always does. “I’ll tell you, when pigs fly Rigel.”

“It’s lard.” Orion chimes in, mouth full of the aforementioned bread.

Carmellia smacks the back of her son’s head, and Orion makes a distressed noise. “Well it’s true!” 

-

“Orion sit up properly, were you raised in a barn?” Carmellia chastises him, and Orion still doesn’t sit up.

“Nah mum, just the brume.” 

She steps forward, and smacks the back of his head. “Ow! What was that for?”

“We have company, be polite.”

“It’s just Rigel.” She smacks him again, dropping her tea towel onto the table and pinching his ear. Orion relents, sitting up properly as Carmellia drags him up. “Hey stop-” She squeezes his ear, and he immediately stops. 

Rigel watches quietly, used to their family antics. 


	24. irenic

“Should we break that up?” Muir points towards Lilly and Rigel, the two of them standing beneath the aetheryte of Camp Cloudtop. Orion turns away from the map, and looks at them. It seemed alright, a far cry from their loud argument the other day.

“It doesn’t...look too bad.” Orion hesitates for a moment, knowing full well that it could escalate at any moment. The two of them might be small, but everyone knew that Lilly had a hot temper, and that Rigel only seemed to push all her wrong buttons. 

They watch in dead silence, unmoving, afraid that if they so much as breathed Lilly would notice them staring. She crosses her arms, and huffs, turning away from the noble and walking back towards them. Muir and Orion look at each other, a silent understanding exchanged between them of ‘it can’t be that bad, right?’

Lilly stands with the group, holding her arms close to her body. Even her large coat couldn’t keep her warm it seemed. “So uh, is everything alright?” Orion asks cautiously, trying hard not to give away that they were eavesdropping.

She sniffs loudly, and looks away from them. Rigel joins the group as well, side eyeing the miqo’te. 

“So that good huh.” 


	25. paternal

“Oh, Allix, you’re awake.” Carmellia comments, making her way towards the stove. “I could have sworn I left you asleep in bed.”

Orion freezes, halfway through making himself tea. It wasn’t the first time he’d been mistaken for his father, but he didn’t expect it from his mom.

“Mum you know I’m not dad, right.” Orion turns around. 

Carmellia pauses, looking up from the pan she had just placed on top of the stove. She looks at Orion, taking a moment to register that it was her son, and not her husband. It had been at least 3 years since her son had even been in their home. In that time, they’d move from their small home in the brume, to a slightly bigger one in foundation. Countless letters had not prepared her for just how much her son had grown.

She puts a hand on his chest, patting it gently. “You’ve grown so much, Orion.” She smiles, and Orion can’t help but feel warm. It had been so long, he counted the days from when house Fortemps said that he could go back until the day they made it through the gates of judgement. “I’m so proud of you.” 


	26. splinter

Rigel opens his eyes, being held gently by his husband. There had been no time to rest, barely any room to breathe. From the gauntlet, to the seat of sacrifice, it was only now as they prepared to go home that he was able to absorb everything that happened. He looks up, expecting to see Orion’s familiar eyes. 

Instead, Fray is watching him, yellow eyes fixed on him. “He cares about you, you know. You gave him a near heart attack.” Fray pushes Rigel’s hair back. “Scared him enough he’s not even here for the moment.”

“He’s still here, aren’t you one and the same?”

“Something like that.” 

Rigel pats his face. It was always strange, they were the same person and yet somehow Fray was sharper, even when he spoke with softness. “Exactly like that.” 


End file.
